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THE WELCOME After a short taxi drive from Skipton train station, welcoming staff took our bags and ushered us to the terrace, where we tucked in to a delicious afternoon tea. THE SCENE The large hotel, in the grounds of the Coniston Estate, has stunning views of the Yorkshire Dales. You can enjoy lunch/ afternoon tea overlooking the lake. Skipton town is a 15-minute taxi ride away but you have everything you need on the estate, including a luxurious spa complete with an outdoor infinity pool, clay pigeon shooting range, 4x4 driving and falconry centre. THE ROOM We stayed in a luxury room with a beautiful kingsize bed and an enormous bathroom which had a separate bath and shower. Our room also had a balcony overlooking the lake and was in prime location for watching the sunrise over the Dales. THE FOOD It was hard not to drool as the afternoon tea was brought out to us, stacked with fresh homemade cakes and sandwiches. For dinner we ate in the Macleod’s Restaurant with its beautiful wooden beamed ceiling. The creme brulee and homemade shortcake was to die for. Breakfast was a choice of a Yorkshire fry-up or eggs with smoked salmon, a perfect start to a day of activities. THE SERVICE Brilliant. Staff are extremely friendly and accommodating, especially the instructors at the shooting range, 4x4 experience and falconry centre. LOVED The spa where you can have massages and other beauty treatments, and the 4x4 driving experience, great fun as you tackle the course in a huge Land Rover Defender. A full driving licence is required. HATED That it was over so quickly. We could have stayed a week. BOTTOM LINE Rooms start from around £120 per night CHECK IT OUT Theconistonhotel.com. WIN fantastic free getaways by voting in this year’s British Travel Awards Oscars by September 30. All voters could win prizes, including flights for two worth up to £3,000, a £3,200 Danube river cruise and a £5,000 gift card from James Villa Holidays. See britishtravelawards.com. The Sunday People is an awards partner so keep reading these pages. HAVE you been inspired by Mortimer and Whitehouse: Gone Fishing on BBC TV? If so, there are plenty of opportunities for banter and healthy living in our selection of fishing breaks.
Ruddy reel Coarse fishing in the Cotswolds
There is a huge amount of fishing available in the 70 lakes of the Cotswold Water Park, particularly for carp, tench, roach and rudd. Lake Pochard in particular is a purpose-built heavily stocked match fishing lake with a tackle shop and cafe. If you are after specimen carp then head for Churn Pool, where some fish have grown to over 40lb. For non-anglers there is all the picture-postcard prettiness of the Cotswold villages within easy striking distance to the north, plus hiking, cycling and watersports around the lakes. GO: The 12 Scandinavian-style Lake Pochard Lodges are ideal for anglers and their families. They are yards from the fishing and there is a lakeside man-made beach. Three nights in a lodge that sleeps four from £485. See watersidebreaks.com.
Time flies Fly fishing in Hampshire
The New Forest, Hampshire’s favourite chunk of woodland and wild grazing, isn’t just about wild ponies and tea shops. For the TV series, Mortimer and Whitehouse fished Hampshire’s River Avon where it is stocked with large barbel, chub, pike, trout and roach. The lower section near Christchurch also has salmon and sea trout. But access to these waters is limited, so to be sure of reliably productive fishing, head to the east side of the county to the idyllic setting of the Meon Springs Fly Fishery near Petersfield, stocked with rainbow trout. For non-anglers staying in the area, the rolling hills of the South Downs are on your doorstep. GO: Meon Springs offers a Yurt Village, Shepherds’ Huts and Wild Glamping, on site. Three nights in a yurt that sleeps six costs from £285. See meonsprings.com.
Casting couch A lake of your own in Sussex
There is no danger of competing with other fishers – unless they are herons – when you rent Ditchling Cabin in West Sussex. This idyllic retreat comes complete with its own private lake, and canoe, and is home to both trout and coarse fish, as the owner is a keen fisherman. There is a BBQ outside and seating on the deck that encourage you to live outdoors. Inside, the kitchen and the lounge have lake views, and even the roll-top bath looks down the length of the water from upstairs. The lake is all yours, so if you can’t catch anything in it you can always skinny dip. For non-anglers the lanes of Brighton and the vineyards of Ditchling are very tempting. GO: Two nights for four in Ditchling Cabin costs from £640. See canopyandstars.co.uk
Predator alert Pike fishing in Ireland
County Monaghan, in the rural border region of Ireland, draws anglers from all over the world to its beautiful lakelands packed with fish. Although there are numerous prime game and coarse angling spots to choose from throughout these waters, Lough Muckno at Castleblayney stands out for its very healthy fish stocks, feasted on by plenty of predator pike. These are regularly caught here at up to 30lb in weight. For non-anglers, Castleblayney’s location on the border means easy day trips to both Dublin and Belfast, as well as local golf and horse riding. GO: The substantial Glencarn Hotel in Castleblayney is within walking distance of Lough Muckno, and is well plugged in to the pike-fishing community. Double rooms from £70. See theglencarnhotel.ie.
Silver king Salmon fishing in Scotland
Catching a wild salmon is the pinnacle of many a fisherman’s career, but reaching salmon-rich waters is increasingly difficult unless you are a millionaire. The wealthy tend to head for places where the fishing is hugely expensive but much more productive, such as northern Norway. Closer to hand, and cheaper in price, is Scotland, with its lochs and mountain rivers hosting healthy stocks of wild brown trout – and sea